Method of producing ring travelers



July 7, 1925. 1,544,115

J. H. AVERY METHOD OF PRODUCING RING TRAVELERS Filed Feb. 5, 1924 azznrw Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES mans PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. AVERY, or FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 PHILIP o. WEN'l wonrn, or PROVIDENCE, nnonn ISLAND.

METHOD OF PRODUCING RING TRAVELERS.

Application filedFebruaryB, 1924. Serial No. 690,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. AVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin, county of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Methods of Producing Ring Travelers, of which the following is a specification.

In my present invention I contemplate a novel method of producing a ring traveler in which the bow portion is of reduced width. Such a traveler forms the subject matter of Patent No. 1,512,254 granted October 21, 1924: to Philip C. lVentworth to the commercial production of which my present inventionmore particularly relates.

.In his application as in his previous patents he provided for a traveler in which a certain differential temper or hardness exists in the bow portion as distinguished.

from the so-called horns, as considered in the spinning traveler. In producing these travelers one requirement is that the stock shall be uniform in physical character so that the delicate variations may be possible in'accordance with his invention. 7

7 Considering for example a case in'which the traveler is of uniform stock or say of uniform carbon content throughout, there must be no substantial physical change in material condition by way of hardening or softening locally if certain of his concepts are to apply. My problem was therefore complicated. 7

These travelers are made in very small sizes, the ribbon stock from which they are formed being rolled from very fine wire.

The problem of so economically producing such a traveler that itcan be available for the general trade is a ditficult one. The stock is so small and delicate and the specifications so exacting that any operation such as the reduction of the stock involves the utmost mechanical finesse.

Furthermore, and in addition to the specifications as to size, weight and hardness, it is essential that the ultimate contour of the bow be perfectly smooth so as not to catch the fibres of the thread and also that the physical character of the body of the metal be undisturbed so that the delicatedifference in temper sought shall not be precluded or "made more diflicult. I

For the purposes of this application I shall merely illustrate my invention in its relation to the ring traveler of the horseshoe type, comprising terminal horns and a connecting bow. It is to he understood,

however, that such treatment is purely illustrative and in-no way limiting, and that the term ring traveler is to be construed in its broadest sense as referring to/any traveler whether for ring spinning or twisting, which travels about a ring, and so construed to cover either the horseshoe or the vertical type of traveler.

It has been old to form travelers from' a continuous strip of uniform thickness and width throughout. According to my method I utilize this practice but I remove equal opposite portions at the longitudinal edges of the strip by simultaneously bringing thereagainst whilethe strip is stationary, a

pair of relatively removable cutters of special design which revolve at thesanie surface speed, but in opposite directions.

These cuttersform equal opposite formative notches, which notches are located at exactly the center of the traveler bow when I the strip is severed and the individual travelers bent to form, thereby insuring that the traveler when formed will anced.

be. properly bal- The method of practicing my method, to-

gether with a characteristic ring traveler produced thereby is described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and draw ings, and the particular features of novelty are pointed out in the appended claims.

Throughout the specification and. drawings like reference characters are correspondingly applied, and in the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 is an end View of a ring traveler produced by my method.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is adevelopment of the strip from which the travelers are formed.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line H, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on theline 5-5, Fig. 3, and

Figs. 6, 6 6*, 6, 7, and 7 are fragmentary views illustrating apparatus for the practice of my method.

I have indicated at 1 (Figs. 1 and 2) the terminalhorns of a characteristic ring traveler as conceived by Mr. VVentworth to the production of which my invention applies. The bow portion 2 ofsaid traveler has equal opposite portions at its opposite edges removed, as indicated at 3, substantially centrally thereof, the metal included within the notches 3 being rounded as indicated at a in Fig. 5, to correspond with the remainder of the bow which is slightly rounding at its edge as shown in F ig. 4-.

The travelers are formed from a continuous strip of stock S of uniform thickness and width throughout rolled from a wire of standardized gage. This strip is equally and oppositely notched as indicated at S Fig. 3, at a plurality of definitely spaced port-ions along its longitudinal edges to. locate the cutaway portions 8 in the traveler bow at approximately the-center of said bow when the strip is severed and the inclividual traveler bent to form. The lines of severance of the strip are indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

According to my method, the strip S is intermittently fed to the severing and bending instrumentalities and the notching instrumentalities are brought against the longitudinal edges to remove therefrom equal and opposite portions at desired intervals on the non-feeding phase of the stock feed mechanism to permit the strip to feed forwardly. As contemplated herein, the notching operation is performed by a pair of oppositely disposed spaced milling cutters 5 of special design between which the strip S is adapted to feed.

These cutters 5 are mounted on either side of the feed-way through which the stock is intermittently drawn by a pair of oppositely rotating feed rolls 6 and are adapted to be moved towards the stock so as to notch it while the stock is stationary and to be withdrawn from the stock on the feeding phase of the feed rolls. To this end, the cutters 5 may be pivotedor otherwise relatively movable to a casting or other suitable support 7 whereby to open and close relative to the stock in times relation to the intermittent operation of the feed rolls.

As here shown, the feed rolls: 6 are intermittently actuated from a feed cam 8 on the cam shaft 9 of the machine by a bell crank lever 10 and suitable operating connections, and the opening and closing movement of the cutters is effected from a double cam 11-12 on said cam shaft which simultaneously actuates a pair of pivoted rocker arms 13 connected with the cutters.

The cutters themselves are continuously rotated but in opposite directions from said cam shaft at increased speed by a suitable gear train 14, 15, shaft 16, gear 17 and pinion 18 on the arbors of the cutters, Figs. 6 and 65*. Preferably the cutting faces of the cutters are concaved or grooved as indicated at 19, Fig. 7 so as to round off the edges 4 of the stock of the notches 3 and toremove the stock in the form of equal opposite segments of a circle.

The cutter support 7 may be mounted for longitudinal adjustment relative to the feed rolls to vary the intervals at which the notches S are formed in the strip, and the cutters themselves may be mounted on their rocker arms 13 for independent lateral adj ustment relative to each other, as indicated in Fig. 6

It will be seen that by such production the stock is subjected to a minimum of physical change and thus to preserve the balance of factors necessary to the final product in which the ultimate differential temper is preserved.

Various modifications in my 'method of production may obviously be resorted to within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of producing a ring traveler of the classdescribed, consisting in rolling from round wire stock a flat ribbon of uniform width and thickness having a slightly rounded edge and in simultaneously forming on opposite sides of the stock equal similar rounded edge scallops by progressive cuttings in opposite directions.

2. The method of producing a ring traveler of the class described, consisting in rolling from round wire stock a flat ribbon of uniform width and thickness having a slightly rounded edge and in simultaneously forming on opposite sides of the stock at predetermined intervals equal rounded edge scallops by progressive cuttings in opposite directions.

3. The method of producing a ring traveler, consisting in bringing a pair of oppositely rotating concaved milling cutters against the opposite longitudinal edges of a continuous strip of stock at predetermined intervals to mill therefrom equal o-pposite portions, in severing the strip intermediate of the milled out portions to form the traveler blank, and in' bending the blank to form. the traveler.

at. The method of producing a ring traveler consisting in bringing a pair of oppositely rotating milling cutters against the opposite longitudinal edges of said strip at predetermined intervals and on the nonfeeding phase of the stock feed mechanism, to mill from said strip equal opposite portions, in separating said cutters on the feeding phase of the stock feed mechanism to permit the stock to advance therebetween in severing the strip intermediate of the milled out portions to form the traveler blank, and in bending the blank to form the traveler.

5. The method of producing a ring traveler consisting in intermittently feeding a continuous strip of stock of uniform thickness and width throughout, in bringin q a pair of oppositely rotating concaved mil ing cutters located in advan of said stock.

similar feed mechanism against the longitudinal portions to form the traveler blank, and in 1 edges of said strip at predetermined interbending the blank to form the traveler. vals and on the non-feeding phase of the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature stock feed mechanism to mill from said in presence of two Witnesses.

strip equal opposite segmental portions in i separating said cutters 0n the feeding pliase JAMES AVERY of the stock feed mechanism to permit the Witnesses: 7 stock to advance therebetween, in severing P. C. WENTWORTH, the strip intermediate of the milled out w M. C. THOMAS. 

